Author Topic: Quotes from work (Read 180172 times)

Brinestone · « **Reply #25 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:16:46 PM »

They are pronounced the same in Utah English, which results in some people not being able to differentiate between them, which results in the error Jon Boy posted. I'm not sure what you're asking, actually.

Jonathon · « **Reply #26 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:18:58 PM »

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How can they rhyme without being pronounced the same?

I'm confused. I didn't say that they rhyme without being pronounced the same.

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And if they are pronounced the same, how can you tell which one was said?

Because one is a verb and one is a noun. It's easy to tell from the context which one was intended.

Porter · « **Reply #27 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:24:47 PM »

OK, how can you tell that the speaker said

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Receive $2.25 per share from the sell of the option

instead of

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Receive $2.25 per share from the sale of the option

if "sell" and "sale" sound the same?

Jonathon · « **Reply #28 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:48:24 PM »

That depends on whether you're talking about the sounds that came out of their mouth or the meanings that they intended. Either way, they sequence of sounds /s?l/ came out. However, you can tell which word they meant by context. In that instance, the word in question is obviously a noun. "Sale" is a noun and "sell" is a verb, so you know that they meant "sale."

Porter · « **Reply #29 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:50:25 PM »

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In that instance, the word in question is obviously a noun. "Sale" is a noun and "sell" is a verb, so you know that they meant "sale."

So how do you know they said "sell" instead of "sale"?

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

Jonathon · « **Reply #30 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:59:23 PM »

Ah. I think I realize why you're confused. This quote was written, not spoken, so I know exactly what it said and exactly what it should have said.

But this also indicates that to the author, "sale" and "sell" are pronounced the same (they both sound like "sell"). If they didn't sound the same to the other, then the author wouldn't've used the wrong word.

Does that make sense?

Porter · « **Reply #31 on:** July 19, 2006, 04:05:06 PM »

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Ah. I think I realize why you're confused. This quote was written, not spoken, so I know exactly what it said and exactly what it should have said.

Huzzah!

Thankyouthankyouthankyou.

I am no longer crazy.

Jonathon · « **Reply #32 on:** July 19, 2006, 04:14:32 PM »

By the way, my favorite written example of Utah English was a sign that said, "Field Dirt Wanted." I drove past that sign for months before I figured out what it was really asking for.

And now I'll drive you crazy again by letting you try to figure it out.

Porter · « **Reply #33 on:** July 19, 2006, 04:19:53 PM »

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Field Dirt Wanted

rivka · « **Reply #34 on:** July 19, 2006, 06:44:54 PM »

<-- doesn't speak Utah English

<-- doesn't remember the answer

Fill dirt?

Porter · « **Reply #35 on:** July 19, 2006, 06:46:41 PM »

Yup.

rivka · « **Reply #36 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:10:33 PM »

Now comes the real question. What on earth is fill dirt?

Porter · « **Reply #37 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:12:32 PM »

When building buildings on the side of a hill, you need to level it out first. This is usually either done by digging it out or by adding dirt to fill it in.

The dirt that you use to fill in is fill dirt.

rivka · « **Reply #38 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:19:30 PM »

And this is different from plain old dirt how?

Porter · « **Reply #39 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:19:45 PM »

Purpose.

rivka · « **Reply #40 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:20:56 PM »

So fill dirt has a goal in life?

pooka · « **Reply #41 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:22:29 PM »

It doesn't have to be topsail

Porter · « **Reply #42 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:22:48 PM »

If you asked for some dirt, I might grab a bucket of it to give to you.

If you ask for fill dirt, I know you'll probably need dozens of cubic yards.

rivka · « **Reply #43 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:27:31 PM »

Ok, I guess that makes sense.

Porter · « **Reply #44 on:** July 19, 2006, 07:29:51 PM »

Yay!

JT · « **Reply #45 on:** July 20, 2006, 08:41:00 AM »

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Ah. I think I realize why you're confused. This quote was written, not spoken, so I know exactly what it said and exactly what it should have said.

I understood right away, if it makes you feel better.

Fill dirt is different than regular dirt in some places, because the consistency and components of regular dirt aren't always allowable for building.

Example, in coastal Florida, the 'regular' dirt is silty (as you might guess) and, as such, isn't much good for fill dirt. I seem to remember a bible verse saying why that is (though rivka might not be familiar with it ;) ).

Porter · « **Reply #46 on:** July 20, 2006, 08:53:04 AM »

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I understood right away, if it makes you feel better.

I feel much better now.

JT · « **Reply #47 on:** July 20, 2006, 08:57:12 AM »

You should feel better, too, though not because I understood.

At least this misunderstanding didn't come from a hyperliteral reading of the initial post, but from a genuine misinterpretation.

Jonathon · « **Reply #48 on:** July 20, 2006, 09:00:01 AM »

Yup. The word "said" is ambiguous because it can apply to both speech and writing, along with more abstract concepts.

Porter · « **Reply #49 on:** July 20, 2006, 09:09:36 AM »

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At least this misunderstanding didn't come from a genuine misinterpretation of the initial post, but from a genuine misinterpretation.

There. I fixed it for you.